The Daily Valet. - 5/3/21, Monday
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Monday, May 3rd Edition
I don’t think I’m “cheugy,” but my cold-pressed green juice might say different.
Cory Ohlendorf, Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf
Today’s Big Story
Rome’s Colosseum
A new, high-tech retractable floor will give visitors a gladiator’s view
The Italian government has approved a plan to furnish Rome’s ancient Colosseum with a new floor, giving visitors the chance to stand where gladiators once fought, the Culture Minister Dario Franceschini announced on Sunday.
Presently, the 2,000-year-old monument has no floor. According to the BBC, it was removed by archaeologists in the 19th Century, exposing the underground network of tunnels where gladiators and animals were held before the Roman blood sports began.
The chosen design features a lattice of specially treated wooden slats that can be rotated to allow air to circulate and to expose the subterranean corridors. It was created by Italian engineering firm Milan Ingegneria, and is expected to cost about $18 million.
The surface is expected to be in use by 2023. The hi-tech stage will be able to quickly retract, allowing the areas below to be protected from the rain or to be aired out. And the project is completely reversible—meaning it can be removed if plans for the Colosseum change in the future.
But that hasn’t stopped some archaeologists from complaining about messing with history. Franceschini acknowledged the debate about the suitability of the plans to the New York Times. “It is natural,” he said, but he asserted that the project combined “sustainability, conservation, improved protection and technological innovation.”
The new stage will allow visitors to stand in the center and view the Colosseum’s vaulted walls as they would have been seen by gladiators in ancient Rome. It also will permit the staging of cultural events that are respectful of the Colosseum as an iconic symbol of Italy.
↦ FYI: Pre-COVID, the Colosseum was Italy’s most popular site, with more than 7.6 million people visiting in 2019 alone.
Long Live the Nap
The pandemic introduced mid-day naps. Will they stick around? Let’s hope so.
The pandemic disrupted all of our routines, including how well we sleep. Some of us (myself included) discovered the joy of mid-day naps.
After all, scientific studies show that sleeping during the day—even for short periods of time—allows us to reboot and be more productive, positively impacting mental and physical health.
And we could use it. According to a recent Gallup poll, the percentage of U.S. adults who consider themselves “thriving” has dropped to 48.8%, the lowest level since the recession of 2008. Yet, “sleep machismo,” or the mistaken belief that rest is a waste of time or a sign of weakness, may be holding many of us back from actually sleeping enough, reports Vogue.
Of course, plenty of high-functioning individuals are known to favor the nap. Einstein swore by them. So did JFK. And LeBron James reportedly sleeps for 12 hours a day, including multiple naps to boost his recovery and performance. So if you haven't perfected your nap strategy yet, you should get on that before you head back to the office.
↦ Nap Better: This TED Talk explains that many different factors, including the time you take a nap during the day, affect the quality of your nap.
What Is ‘Cheugy’?
TikTok slang fuels an intergenerational feud
Does it mean “out of touch” or “basic”? Maybe it's kind of “cringe-y”? A new term to describe a certain aesthetic is gaining popularity on TikTok. If you haven't heard about “cheugy” yet, you probably will soon.
It's used to describe a look that seems a bit out-of-touch or trying too hard. The term caught on among Zoomers on college campuses, then spread to TikTok, where there are countless videos delineating the taxonomy of cheuginess.
According to Taylor Lorenz at the New York Times, a lot of cheugy (pronounced chew-gee) things are associated with millennial women, but the term can be applied to anyone of any gender and age.
It could be yet another weapon in the ongoing culture wars between Millennials and Gen Z. Maybe it's just gentle ribbing. And coming to terms with one's own cheuginess is just a part of getting older. Perhaps it's our duty to pass the baton to the younger generation, and embrace our inner cheug.
↦ What It's Not: Thrifting, handmade products, Levi’s jeans, Birkenstocks and vintage home decor.
U.K. on Verge of Beer Shortage
As pubs reopen, Brits are drinking faster than brewers can keep up with
After three months of closed doors, pubs in England welcomed back thirsty customers and simultaneously hit record sales of beer, wine and sparkling wine.
But now pubs are scrambling to secure supplies, particularly of craft beers and premium lagers, according to the Financial Times—even though only about 40% of the U.K.'s pubs have the capacity to serve people outdoors.
After more than 10 million Brits headed back to their local bars, Heineken has allegedly told pubs across the country to order no more than three kegs a week to help cope with supply issues.
Demand for draught beer like Birra Moretti and Amstel has “totally surpassed our most optimistic forecasts,” a Heineken rep told the Daily Mail, adding that its breweries were “working round the clock” to keep up with the surge.
↦ Coming Soon: Demand could push higher again in less than three weeks' time: Limited-capacity indoor drinking is set to resume on May 17.
In Other News
Other Things We’re Talking About Today
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Want Great Hair?
It’s amazing what a simple product change can do for you
There’s a certain swagger that comes with great hair—and you know it when you see it. That leading-man-quality coif with its volume, shine and gravity-defying texture.
For those of us who simply towel-dry our hair after a shower and run any old product through it, those kind of next-level results can seem out of reach.
But a simple product change can do wonders for your hair. For instance, if you want hair that's full and textured with a hold that doesn't look shellacked, you should switch to clay.
A favorite of celebrity groomers and barbers, it's become the go-to because it works for almost any need you have: it works with casual, undone looks, it neutralizes oily scalps and makes thin hair look thicker because of the matte finish. The Valet. team dipped into dozens of jars to find the best ones that work for any hairstyle or budget.
↦ Get It: The best hair clays to try right now.
What We’re Buying
If you take your coffee seriously, you'll want to grind the beans yourself. And if you're going to do that, you want a quality grinder. This conical burr grinder produces a uniform grind to bring out the best flavor and aroma from your beans. There are 15 different grind settings and your grounds go directly into a metal container with a lid for easy storage. It's fast, relatively quiet and delivers results equal to machines that cost three times as much.
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Morning Motto
Vision is key to getting you where you want to go.
↦ Follow: @fbeinghumbleldn
That’s all for today...
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